In this review, we will be comparing LS50 Wireless and LS50 Wireless II, two Powered Bookshelf speakers by KEF. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KEF LS50 Wireless and KEF LS50 Wireless II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KEF LS50 Wireless | KEF LS50 Wireless II |
|---|
| Brand | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 | KEF
United Kingdom · founded 1961 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 230-watt RMS | 380-watt RMS (760-watt peak) |
|---|
| Uni-Q driver | 11th Generation Uni-Q | 12th Generation Uni-Q |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Hard-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy | 5.25" |
|---|
| Frequency response | 79-28k Hz | 45-28k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | Yes / 384 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 4.0 | Built-in |
|---|
| App control | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| Weight | 10.00kg / 22lbs | 20.10kg / 44.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 11.875" x 7.875" x 13.25"
301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm | 10.9375" x 7.875" x 12.6875"
277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm |
|---|
LS50 Wireless and LS50 Wireless II are members of KEF's LS series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both LS50 Wireless and LS50 Wireless II are 2-way speakers.
KEF LS50 WirelessKEF LS50 Wireless II
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
KEF LS50 Wireless II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 5.25-inch
|
LS50 Wireless features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Magnesium/aluminum alloy Woofer. On the other hand, the LS50 Wireless II features a 1" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Woofer.
Frequency Response
LS50 Wireless has a frequency range of 79-28k Hz whereas LS50 Wireless II has a frequency range of 45-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 45Hz, the LS50 Wireless II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the LS50 Wireless's min frequency of 79Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both LS50 Wireless and LS50 Wireless II have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare KEF LS50 Wireless's and KEF LS50 Wireless II's external dimensions. KEF LS50 Wireless has external dimensions of 301.6 x 200.0 x 336.5mm (11.875 x 7.875 x 13.25inch) whereas KEF LS50 Wireless II has external dimensions of 277.8 x 200.0 x 322.3mm (10.9375 x 7.875 x 12.6875inch).
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Near-identical footprints. KEF LS50 Wireless is 24mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the KEF LS50 Wireless is approximately 673.0cm2 / 104.3inch2 and base area of the KEF LS50 Wireless II is approximately 644.6cm2 / 99.9inch2. The LS50 Wireless requires 4% more surface area than the LS50 Wireless II which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The KEF LS50 Wireless weighs 10.00kg / 22lbs and the KEF LS50 Wireless II weighs 20.10kg / 44.2lbs. This makes the LS50 Wireless II 101% heavier than the LS50 Wireless.
Here is a comparison of how LS50 Wireless and LS50 Wireless II's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Wireless?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of LS50 Wireless:
- Wireless powered speaker (Right)
- Wireless powered speaker (Left)
- Two 6.5-feet AC power cords
- 10-feet Cat-6 interconnect speaker cable
- 6.5-feet USB-B to USB-A cable
- 42
What's in the Box of KEF LS50 Wireless II?
Here are the items that come with the LS50 Wireless II:
- 2 Wireless powered speakers
- Two 6.5' AC power cords
- 10' Cat-6 interconnect speaker cable
- Remote control
- 2 \"AAA\" batteries
- Quick Start Guide
- Important Safety Information
- Warranty Information
 Price per pair* |
2200USD
vs
2999USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Uni-Q Driver |
12th Generation
vs
11th Generation
|
Newer generation Driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
45 Hz
vs
79 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
277mm
vs
301mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
644cm2
vs
673cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 HDMI Input |
eARC
vs
No
|
Connect HDMI sources directly |
| General |
KEF LS50 Wireless |
KEF LS50 Wireless II |
| Brand |
KEF |
KEF |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
79-28k Hz |
45-28k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
230-watt RMS |
380-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
760-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
Yes |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
384 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Magnesium/aluminum alloy |
|
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
Hard-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
301.6mm (11.9") |
277.8mm (10.9") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
200.0mm (7.9") |
| Depth |
336.5mm (13.2") |
322.3mm (12.7") |
| Weight |
10.00kg (22lbs) |
20.10kg (44.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
|
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
3.5mm |
| USB Port |
USB-B |
Service only |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
mono-RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
1 |
| HDMI Input |
No |
eARC |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Year w/ registration |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
3 Year w/ registration |
Siblings in KEF's LS series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | KEF LS50 Wireless II digs deeper - 45Hz against 79Hz. |
| Built-in power | B | KEF LS50 Wireless II has the bigger amplifier (380W vs 230W RMS). |
| Connections | B | KEF LS50 Wireless II adds HDMI. |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | KEF LS50 Wireless: a sub output; KEF LS50 Wireless II: a sub output. |
| Price | A | KEF LS50 Wireless is cheaper - $2,200 against $2,999, about 27% less. |
A KEF LS50 Wireless B KEF LS50 Wireless II
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: KEF LS50 Wireless II measures better, KEF LS50 Wireless costs about about 36% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 79Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper KEF LS50 Wireless much easier to justify. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $799 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.